World Vets aids Pacific Partnership response to Hit & Run

Hit n RunMALAPO, Tonga — Three Pacific Partnership members acted as first responders to a hit and run automobile accident on a local pedestrian during the Tongan portion of the 2013 mission.

U.S. Army Capt. James Dillon, U.S. Army Sgt. Evan Lund and Dr, Abi O’Connor, a volunteer veterinarian from nongovernmental organization (NGO) World Vets, were en route to the South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW) clinic to pick up supplies when they saw a man walking down the street get hit by a passing truck.

“The truck was driving about 50 km/hr when he hit him,” said Dr. Abi O’Connor. “The driver of the truck paused, and then drove away after the man landed on the street side.”

Read full story here

Story and photo by World Vets photojournalist Ms. Amanda Saavedra

World Vets Brings Veterinary Care to Remote Region in Guatemala

RioDulce1A World Vets team has just returned after a great adventure to the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala. Following 7 hours of travel, in a van and boat ride from the capital, they arrived in the Livingston/Rio Dulce region. During their visit they provided free veterinary services, a luxury for local cats and dogs, as local services for animals are hard to come by in such an isolated area. Many communities are only accessible by boat making veterinary care a great challenge.

Our team provided a large scale sterilization campaign where 164 surgeries were RioDulceSXSuitperformed as well as an additional 200 plus health consultations and treatments provided to local animals.  We also saw patients at the dock of our accommodations during the evening along the river. In these activities, we were joined by local volunteers and veterinary students from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.

We would like to extend our many thanks and gratitude to our team members and local coordinator, Aska, of El Hotelito Perdido. We would also like to thank CATUR, the RioD 2local Centro de Salud and municipality of Livingston for all their support in helping make this campaign possible. And finally we would like to thank local businesses and the community of Livingston for their warm welcome and hospitality.

See pictures of World Vets visit to Rio Dulce, Guatemala – coming soon!

1 Vet Spot Left for Otavalo, Ecuador Project! July 2013

otavaloThere is just 1 VETERINARIAN spot left open for our July 2013 Otavalo, Ecuador Project. Join us on a trip to the Ecuadorian Andes July 17 – 24, 2013 and provide a three day large scale sterilization campaign in the town of Otavalo!

World Vets has been providing regular high volume spay/neuter services in EcuN59 editEcuador since 2009. We have also secured an agreement with the municipality of Otavalo stipulating that they will not carry out poisoning campaigns in exchange for our free spay/neuter services for community animals.

Aside from veterinary work, volunteers will have free time to explore the area, visit Otavalo’s famous markets and much more! What are you waiting for? Check out this volunteer opportunity here

See pictures of  World Vets in Ecuador here

This project is supported by Fondation Brigitte Bardot of Paris, France

 

World Vets Provides Education & Veterinary Services in Samoa

Samoa1

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

Photo Credit: Amanda Saavedra/World Vets

World Vets volunteers were hard at work this past week on the Samoan islands of Upolu and Sevai’i doing everything from spay and neuter clinics, educational lectures, and even having some fun with kids at two Special Olympic health fairs. While they were there, they witnessed a culture very different from their own, where community and sharing are very much the way of life. Along with the U.S. service members and other partner nations participating in the Pacific Partnership 2013 mission (PP 2013), they integrated into the different villages of Samoa working to better their communities and the health of both the people and the animals in them.

Spay and neuter clinics were held on both Upolu and Sevai’i, where World Vet volunteers and U.S. Army veterinarians and vet techs set up free clinics at local churches and various other sites. Countless families came with their furry friends to get them spayed and neutered to better their communities. In Samoa, dogs have begun to create a problem due to overpopulation, lack of regulation and proper confinement. Many homes in Samoa are called “fallahs,” which is a home without walls. The homes are a part of communities where everything is shared among them. Naturally, these communities have no fences and many dogs run freely, contributing to the dog over population problem. Spay and neuter clinics provided by Pacific Partnership gave these communities the opportunity to bring their dogs and cats in and prevent their own pets from contributing to the problem.

An overpopulation of dogs also means dog bites are a common occurrence. World Vet volunteers and U.S. Army veterinarians visited several schools educating young children about dog bites, how to prevent them, and what to do in case they get one. The children in these schools were so eager to learn and quickly caught on to the signs of what a mean, scared, or unthreatening dog looks like. US Army vets also spoke about the importance of washing ones hands after petting animals and even gave the kids a great way to remember how long hands should be washed for by singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with them. With these tools given to the children Vets are hope that not only will the information be passed on to their families at home, but that dog bites will be prevented in the future.

World Vet volunteers and U.S. Army Veterinarians also held educational lectures for the members of the Animal Protection Society in Upolu and those who work in the meat industry. Lectures covered everything from body scoring of horses, learning about new drugs available for neutering dogs, proper physical examinations of both large and small animals and properly preparing animals for slaughtering and the process that follows. These lectures brought the local veterinarians and “para-vets” up to date on the latest information and also ways to complete procedures and examinations with what the local community has, making the procedures and examinations available to them in the future.

On both Sevai’i and Upolu, World Vet volunteers and U.S. Army vets joined other U.S. service members Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and other partner nation service members of PP 2013 for Special Olympic eligibility health fairs. While children were checked-out by various members of the PP 2013 medical team they were given the opportunity to learn about preventing dog bites and color in books featuring their unique furry friends. With more than 100 kids in attendance, many children got to meet with veterinarians for some fun and learning. Some vets even got to throw around a rugby ball with the kids participating in the events.

Samoa is just the beginning of the Pacific Partnership 2013 mission and World Vets has already accomplished so much. After departing Samoa, World Vets, other NGO’s, partner nations, and U.S. service members will be heading towards Tonga, where more exciting and community based projects are waiting.

*This article was written by Amanda Saavedra, World Vets photojournalist on board the 2013 Pacific Partnership mission

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